Digital transformation is about how organisations work and people collaborate, explains Fernando de Pablo, director of the Digital Office of the City of Madrid
As cities across Europe accelerate digital transformation, questions of governance, interoperability and public trust are coming to the fore. Despite heavy investment in digital tools, the real challenge lies in how institutions adapt, collaborate and deliver tangible improvements for citizens.
Madrid has emerged as a leading example of this shift, as cities take a more central role in shaping digital public services. The Spanish capital will host the GovTech 4 Impact World Congress (G4I), bringing together policymakers, practitioners and industry leaders to exchange lessons on digital government.
In this interview with Euractiv (EV), Fernando de Pablo (FdP), director of the Digital Office of the City of Madrid, explains why cultural change matters more than technology, how governments can overcome fragmentation, and why collaboration will define the next phase of digital government.
EV: Having worked in both Spain’s national digital administration and Madrid’s city government, where do cities outperform national governments in digital transformation, and where do their limits remain?
FdP: For me, these two perspectives are complementary. Working inside government gives you a very concrete understanding of the challenges involved: legal frameworks, organisational structures, legacy systems and procurement rules. Those realities shape how transformation actually happens.
At the same time, participating in international conversations allows you to see how other cities and countries are approaching similar challenges. The exchange between those two worlds is extremely valuable.
Madrid’s performance in the United Nations Local Online Service Index reflects a sustained effort to modernise public services. It is also part of why we are proud to host G4I here. Madrid is not just a backdrop for the conversation, but an active participant in it.
EV: Governments invest heavily in digital tools, yet procedures often remain slow and complex. Is the real barrier technology or bureaucratic culture?
FdP: The most important element is cultural change, because digital transformation goes far beyond simple modernisation. Technology is necessary, but it is not sufficient. Digital transformation in government is mainly about how organisations work and how people collaborate.
In Madrid, we have experienced a significant shift in recent years. Historically, processes were very effective but highly dependent on paper and in-person interaction. The pandemic accelerated a transformation that was already underway, and the use of digital channels has grown dramatically.
For example, the use of electronic procedures has increased from around 14 per cent in 2018 to more than 83 per cent in 2025 – in a city where more than 700,000 people, out of a total of 3.5 million, are over 65 years old.
Beyond the numbers, what matters to us is the change in mindset.
Public employees increasingly see technology as a tool to provide better services to citizens. Many are highly motivated to use it to improve public services, social cohesion and quality of life.
In many cases, demand from functional areas is stronger than the capacity of technological teams to deliver solutions. Digital transformation in government is essentially a collective learning process.
EV: Fragmented data systems still hinder digital public services. How can governments break down these silos to deliver truly integrated services?
FdP: When we talk about digital transformation in government, we are not talking only about technology, but also about governance, social impact, sustainability, cybersecurity, regulation and organisational change. The challenges governments face cannot be addressed from a single perspective.
That said, peer networks remain very important. When professionals working across administrations share their experiences, they realise many challenges are common: organisational resistance, regulatory constraints and the integration of legacy systems.
Events like G4I help create those connections. They allow people to meet colleagues facing similar problems and exchange practical lessons. The congress brings together several hundred leaders and practitioners from across the world each edition, and many of the professional relationships that begin here continue long after the event ends, through working groups, bilateral exchanges and ongoing projects.
In my opinion, the curation process is one of the most interesting parts of the congress. The Expert Committee brings together professionals from very different backgrounds: public administration, universities, international organisations, companies, and other institutions working in the social and environmental fields. That diversity is intentional.
The goal is to have a truly multidisciplinary conversation with a global vision, which is why it is important to have representation from all over the world. This year’s programme reflects exactly that ambition, with speakers and participants joining us from across Europe, Latin America, Asia and beyond.
EV: Artificial intelligence is rapidly entering public administration. Where can it deliver the greatest benefits for cities today, and where is caution needed?
FdP: We are discussing technologies such as artificial intelligence alongside broader issues like administrative simplification, capabilities inside government and cooperation between institutions.
The purpose of technology in public administration is to improve services for people.
This is particularly visible in areas such as social services, where teams working directly with citizens are increasingly interested in using digital tools to better understand needs, respond more quickly and provide more effective support.
EV: GovTech increasingly depends on collaboration with start-ups. How can cities work with private innovators while keeping critical digital infrastructure under public oversight?
FdP: The private sector brings innovation and new ideas, universities contribute research and long-term thinking, and public administrations provide the operational perspective.
Public-private collaboration is therefore key. The objective is to work together as partners, sharing the same goal of shaping better cities that are not only more technological, but also more inclusive and sustainable.
EV: What will be the defining challenge for digitally advanced cities in the next decade?
FdP: My message would be very simple: collaboration matters more than ever, so come to the congress! We are all leading our administrations in times of uncertainty in the age of AI, and that is why we need to learn from and support each other more than ever.
The challenges governments face today are complex and interconnected. Digital transformation, climate transition and social inclusion cannot be addressed by a single institution working alone.
Citizens need trust in their institutions, and administrations must be resilient to any event that may occur, from a power outage to a cybersecurity attack. Public administrations, companies, universities and civil society all have a role to play.
Forums like G4I create spaces where those different perspectives can meet. When people share knowledge, build trust and collaborate, innovation in government becomes much easier.
G4I will take place in Madrid, a city that embodies exactly this spirit. I encourage anyone working in or around digital government to register, bring their team, and come ready to share. The programme is designed to give you practical ideas you can take home and apply from day one. And if people also take the opportunity to enjoy the city and exchange ideas with colleagues from around the world, even better.
In my view, collaboration is the most powerful tool we have to improve public services and respond to the challenges our societies face. The administration we have today is the result of decisions taken years ago. The conversations we have today will influence the decisions that shape the administrations of tomorrow.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Xhoi Zajmi
Dieser Artikel ist neu veröffentlicht von / This article is republished from: Euractiv, 24.03.2026
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